USDA awards $31 million to Oklahoma for rural broadband development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has introduced it should award greater than $31 million to Oklahoma to present high-speed web entry for rural residents and companies throughout seven counties.

Valliant Telephone Company, Southern Plains Cable LLC and the Osage Nation will obtain the federal cash by way of the USDA’s ReConnect program to assist join Oklahoma residents, companies and farms to high-speed web.

ReConnect gives federal loans and grants to state and native governments, Indian tribes and firms to construct broadband infrastructure and supply high-speed web entry to rural communities.

Counties that can obtain rural broadband help from the federal funding embrace Choctaw, McCurtain, Osage, Caddo, Comanche, Cotton and Grady counties.

In the announcement, Kenneth Corn, Oklahoma’s rural development director, acknowledged how the federal award cash will profit rural areas within the state.

“Access to broadband will strengthen the ability of rural communities to prosper by expanding the opportunity to allow businesses to grow, expand access to critical healthcare, open the doors to educational programs and lessen the barrier for transportation on some of our rural residents,” Corn stated.

The USDA broke down how the $31 million will likely be utilized in its announcement:

• Valliant Telephone Company Inc. will deploy a fiber-to-the-premises community that community will join 200 folks, 16 companies and one academic facility to high-speed web in Choctaw and McCurtain Counties. 

  • Valliant Telephone Company Inc. will make high-speed web reasonably priced by implementing the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline applications, and providing 4 web packages. 

• Southern Plains Cable LLC will deploy a fiber-to-the-premises community that can join 7,093 folks, 230 companies, six farms and 29 colleges to high-speed web in Caddo, Comanche, Cotton and Grady counties. 

  • Southern Plains will make high-speed web reasonably priced by collaborating within the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline applications. This challenge will serve the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache-Fort Sill Apache tribal statistical space in addition to socially susceptible communities in Cotton County.

• The Osage Nation will deploy a fiber-to-the-premises community to join 831 folks, 18 companies and 128 farms to high-speed web in Osage County. 

  • The Osage Nation will make high-speed web reasonably priced by collaborating within the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program.

In this latest round of ReConnect funding, the USDA has introduced $502 million towards rural broadband development throughout 20 states, together with Oklahoma. To be taught extra concerning the ReConnect program, go to the USDA’s website or contact Oklahoma’s Rural Development state office.